Genesis House looks for municipal support

Genesis House Community and Resource Development Kari Kauenhofen and Executive Director Ang Braun were at the R.M. of Stanley council meeting, Oct. 2 to request funding. (GREG VANDERMEULEN/Winkler Times)

With no increases in provincial funding for more than a decade, Genesis House is looking elsewhere for more funds.

For the first time the shelter for abused women and children is reaching out to municipal councils to see if they can help.

“For the last 12 years we haven’t seen an increase in our funding from the province as far as our grant,” Executive Director Ang Braun said after a presentation to the R.M. of Stanley council, Oct. 2. “We are approaching councils for their support, both in their leadership and in some resource.”

Genesis House was asking for a commitment of $4,519 annually for the next three years from the R.M. of Stanley, a rate of 50 cents per person, the same rate they’re hoping all of their municipalities will fund them at.

Genesis House serves an area north of the U.S. border to Hwy. 2, west to Clearwater and east to Dominion City.

Ang Braun and Kari Kauenhofen (community and resource development) told council they see many people multiple times, giving as an example someone they had that had been there 17 times.

“This is pretty much the story we’ve been hearing for the last 35 years,” she said. “Most of the time they don’t want to end the relationship, they just want the abuse to stop.”

Kauenhofen shared the resources they offer including emergency shelter, support groups, counselling for women, children and teens, advocacy, referrals, assistance in protection planning, support for abused elderly and a 24 hour crisis line.

They operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

She said domestic abuse is more prevalent than many think.’

“One in four have or are currently in a situation where domestic abuse is present,” she said.

And it’s still tough to get people to seek help.

“Depending on the type of abuse there sometimes is a lot of shame,” she said.

It’s also a national issue. Every six days in Canada a woman is killed by her intimate partner.

Braun said addressing this issue is important.

“This is not only a women’s issue, this is a community issue,” she said. “We need everybody’s voices to be heard on this.”

That’s why this fall they are starting a 17 week Caring Dads program, to help end the cycle of abuse.

One of 10 shelters in the province, Braun said they hope the pitch to municipal councils will allow them to keep offering the services that are needed.

“We’re hanging on but these days it’s getting harder and harder to maintain a 24 hour service,” she said.